Letter to Jack on his 5th Birthday

Jack,
  I know this has been a rough 6 months for you with Daddy being deployed in Afghanistan.  You have done such a great job of just being a kid while your Daddy had to go off to war.  You overcame your gastrointestinal problems for the most part while Daddy was gone and you were pretty good about talking to Daddy on Skype when he had a chance to call.
   You ended your 1st year of preschool and started your 2nd year all in stride.  You love school so much!  It's great to see you so excited when you walk in the door and see all of your friends.  You are a very popular kid.  I think you were invited to almost every kid's birthday parties this year.  You have come a long way with your handwriting and coloring even though you don't have much patience to sit down and do such things.  You would much rather be playing sports or trucks.
   You are an excellent athlete and have so much fun playing soccer and basketball.  We love watching you play.  You still love cars and can name most every make and model.  You even know what cars all of your friends' parents drive.  You think about things and ask really intelligent questions all of the time.    
We had so much fun this year going to the pool, parks, farms, and sporting events.
   I hope you never lose your inquisitive mind and your kind heart.  You are a joy to have as a child and am looking ever forward to watching you grow with your mom and dad at home this next year.

                                              Love,
                                               Mommy and Daddy